Practical (folding) bike for an ex-roadie?

uphillbothways

Due to my faltering health, my fast road bikes are headed for eBay and I'm looking for a bike more suited to leisurely riding - commuting, light touring and day rides, mainly. I definitely want hub gears and mudguards, the rest I'm not sure about. On-One's Pompetamine seems to fit the bill at a fair price, but I'm wondering about my other options. Should I wait for the 11-speed Alfine? Can I get something with drop bars and hub gearing?

I'm sorely tempted by a folding bike, but are they worth the faff? Is there anything out there that offers good ride quality and a compact fold?

Cheers,
Uphillbothways

stuaff

No, no-one here knows anything about folders......

Obvious choice if folded size is crucial- Brompton. Plenty of happy owners on here. Dahon do a 16" wheel model, the Curve, which doesn't fold quite as small as a Brommie but still goes pretty small. Never tried one, but ride reports I've read have been positive. The 20" Dahon models, like my Jetstream, make a bigger folded package, but ride pretty well. Most have clearance for 50mm or even 60mm Schwalbe Big Apple tyres for those who want them, I run 40mm Marathons on mine & have done regular long runs in it. Agile, but not too frisky either. The Cadenza (26" model) is great too, but definitely not a compact package when folded, rather unwieldy to lug about! Bromptons are all hub-geared, Dahon have hub gear models in every wheel size.

wgwarburton

Hi,
I'm no expert on folders (more of an interested bystander!) but I did see a new Dawes Kingpin on the train this morning and it looked beautifully finished- all shiny polished & lacquered Aluminium. I gather they are made by Dahon, but to a slightly different equipment level. It didn't fold up as small as a Brommie but would easily fit on a luggage bay.

Airnimals are supposed to be a pretty good ride- more of a collapsible road bike than a proper folder.

Test rides and a long hard think about your intended usage are required, I feel...

Cheers,
W.

The Rookie

Dahon now do a big wheeled (its on the letter I got with my Allterrain catalogue) foldup for those wanting a little more normal riding experience to the mini wheelers (I think its a 26"), so its hard to comment on which to recommend until we know how 'folding' you want it really!

Simon

stuaff

Kingpin is indeed a Dahon-made model. Practically identical in equipment specs to the equivalent Dahon model, different frame design though.
Airnimals don't, AFAIK, fold either particularly small or quickly, but certainly highly regarded to actually ride.
+1 for test riding and thorough research. Wherever you are in the country, it would be worth going to a shop with a wide range of folders to check them out.

ex-pat scot

You'll struggle to get hub gears and drop bars.

What's your priority?
Is it "slower road bike due to dropping fitness levels"? --> fit a compact chainset perhaps
Is it "need comfort fit due to back probs" --> what about an Audax / tourer/cross bike geometry, or even a recumbent?
Is it "one bike for everything"? --> consider a Moulton (separates, rather than folds) or Airnimal, or perhaps Brompton if folding / size is a priority

stuaff

The Beginner wrote:

Dahon now do a big wheeled (its on the letter I got with my Allterrain catalogue) foldup for those wanting a little more normal riding experience to the mini wheelers (I think its a 26"), so its hard to comment on which to recommend until we know how 'folding' you want it really!

Simon

Actually, there are four 26" Dahons- the Jack (tough urban/canal path folder), Espresso (pootly shopping trip), Matrix (hardtail MTB), and Cadenza (fast hybrid).

stuaff

ex-pat scot wrote:

You'll struggle to get hub gears and drop bars.

What's your priority?
Is it "slower road bike due to dropping fitness levels"? --> fit a compact chainset perhaps
Is it "need comfort fit due to back probs" --> what about an Audax / tourer/cross bike geometry, or even a recumbent?
Is it "one bike for everything"? --> consider a Moulton (separates, rather than folds) or Airnimal, or perhaps Brompton if folding / size is a priority

+1. Many, many options here....

rolf_f

I've been riding a company folder around the Notts wolds - a Dahon shopper type. I actually quite enjoyed it and it did get me up a couple of steep climbs (a '1 arrow' jobby!) though the low top speed means small hills are hard work as you don't carry much speed through.

I actually enjoyed it though - it was a bit like going for a pleasure drive in a milk float but fun for all that. Feels a bit like a childs scooter with pedals.

However, the design is pretty crap in many ways. One sided pedals without clips are just a pointless irritation - what really irked was the fold. The handlebars tend to jam in the rear wheel even when you adjust them on their quick release (which you shouldn't really need to do) - the handlebars have also managed to break part of the mudguard and there doesn't seem to be a means to lock the fold so it can unravel. Also, it is a bit unstable folded unless you drop the seat post through to give it a second leg - but then the seat post pump springs out.......

Alternatively, I might just be crap at folding it And we don't have a carry bag which doesn't help.

I'd dearly love to try a Brompton but unless more people use the folders we already have, we certainly won't get any more.

rjsterry

Rolf F wrote:

I've been riding a company folder around the Notts wolds - a Dahon shopper type. I actually quite enjoyed it and it did get me up a couple of steep climbs (a '1 arrow' jobby!) though the low top speed means small hills are hard work as you don't carry much speed through.

I actually enjoyed it though - it was a bit like going for a pleasure drive in a milk float but fun for all that. Feels a bit like a childs scooter with pedals.

However, the design is pretty crap in many ways. One sided pedals without clips are just a pointless irritation - what really irked was the fold. The handlebars tend to jam in the rear wheel even when you adjust them on their quick release (which you shouldn't really need to do) - the handlebars have also managed to break part of the mudguard and there doesn't seem to be a means to lock the fold so it can unravel. Also, it is a bit unstable folded unless you drop the seat post through to give it a second leg - but then the seat post pump springs out.......

Alternatively, I might just be crap at folding it And we don't have a carry bag which doesn't help.

I'd dearly love to try a Brompton but unless more people use the folders we already have, we certainly won't get any more.

I think the Dahons normally have a magnet and steel plate to on the chain stay and forks respectively, which hold it together, but mine has fallen off, so this might be the case with you as well. I'd say dropping the seatpost is pretty essential to its stability when folded, so a bit of a problem with the pump coming out. Don't know about the pedals as mine has double sided flat folding pedals (which are lethal in the wet).

richred_uk

StuAff wrote:

Espresso (pootly shopping trip)

Which makes it all the more pleasurable to scalp roadies on :twisted:

rolf_f

rjsterry wrote:

I think the Dahons normally have a magnet and steel plate to on the chain stay and forks respectively, which hold it together, but mine has fallen off, so this might be the case with you as well. I'd say dropping the seatpost is pretty essential to its stability when folded, so a bit of a problem with the pump coming out. Don't know about the pedals as mine has double sided flat folding pedals (which are lethal in the wet).

That explains the metal think I couldn't work out! Maybe I didn't get it folded tightly enough or maybe the magnet is missing - I'll investigate next time I use it.

The pedals are bonkers - they look a bit like the pedals on my 1980 Raleigh Record Ace - basically, standard metal things that, fitted with toe clips work OK. However, these ones don't seem designed for toe clips so effectively they are one sided for absolutely no reason whatsoever. You can pedal on the wrong side but they are cunningly designed so you can just feel the axle under your foot if you do. Ridiculous!

The pump handle comes out with a push and twist. Plonking the bike on the ground with the seatpost touching the ground effectively seems to do enough to release it so next time you pick the bike up, the pump handle drops out. Genius!

Still quite like it though.......

ride_whenever

OKAY....

The pompetamine looks to be great, I rode a pompino with a rohloff a while back and it just made sense, so the pompetamine is a logical step. You can get versa drop bar levers to go with the 8sp nexus hub, which is the way i'd go, and some avid bb7 road calipers for stopping duties.

On the folding front, the brompton is still the best in terms of fold size, but it rides like a folder and they're rather uninspiring. If you want it to go in place of the hub geared touring/leasure bike the look at the birdy's as they ride really really well in my experience and although they don't fold as well as a brompton, they ride like a touring bike. To throw in a curveball, the new KANSi range from fishers is excellent, it rather blew me away when i rode one recently as they seem totally flex free, fold well and are generally awesome bits of kit!

Origamist

If you're not swayed by the On One, a few other folders to consider: Bike Friday Tikit, Birdy and Mezzo.

Aguila

The Mrs and I have just orderred a mezzo i4 and a dahon d7 speed. Will let you know how they perform.

rjsterry

Rolf F wrote:

rjsterry wrote:

I think the Dahons normally have a magnet and steel plate to on the chain stay and forks respectively, which hold it together, but mine has fallen off, so this might be the case with you as well. I'd say dropping the seatpost is pretty essential to its stability when folded, so a bit of a problem with the pump coming out. Don't know about the pedals as mine has double sided flat folding pedals (which are lethal in the wet).

That explains the metal think I couldn't work out! Maybe I didn't get it folded tightly enough or maybe the magnet is missing - I'll investigate next time I use it.

The pedals are bonkers - they look a bit like the pedals on my 1980 Raleigh Record Ace - basically, standard metal things that, fitted with toe clips work OK. However, these ones don't seem designed for toe clips so effectively they are one sided for absolutely no reason whatsoever. You can pedal on the wrong side but they are cunningly designed so you can just feel the axle under your foot if you do. Ridiculous!

The pump handle comes out with a push and twist. Plonking the bike on the ground with the seatpost touching the ground effectively seems to do enough to release it so next time you pick the bike up, the pump handle drops out. Genius!

Still quite like it though.......

The folding pedals on mine are so smooth as to be downright dangerous. I'm so used to SPD's that I might just put another pair on instead, as my feet slip off the folding pedals even in the dry.

canowords

Before my T'inbred I had a SwissBike LX [rebranded Montague Paratrooper to escape the stigmatisation of the "War in Iraq"]. Had it for about 2 years and did about 3500 miles of mixed riding on it [admittedly mostly touring] It was a faff to fold and with 26" wheels was still pretty big. If you don't go for the bag, at an extra £50, you need to take a bungee cord to keep the front wheel in place and the bike fully folded.

You could always spend the money on a couple of S&S couplings for your favourite hack bike.

shouldbeinbed

+1 for the birdy. Costly but they ride like a bike not a folder. I test rode a lot of folders at the time but the birdy was head and shoulders above the rest for my needs of a bike that folds occasionally rather than something that is small enough to go on the train that I can ride from the station to work & home.

I've ridden them for over 10 years for a 10 mile commute and they've paid back every penny I've paid out on them, my current birdy blue (old frame style) is still going strong. It shares the duties with a big wheel B2W bike now - which has got an Alfine 8 speed hub and to answer the 11 speed question - 8 gears is plenty enough for steep uphill and comfortable riding at 20 on more level ground. the 11 speed one is lighter apparently so if weight is a big issue then get the 11 but you'll have too many gears to go at TBH.

you can get some Birdies with hub gears the city 8 speed nexus £1100 or the Rohloff (go on guess ) £2500.

the drawback with the birdy is the suppliers are increasingly difficult and my bike shop of choice have dropped the range because of problems with R&M.